Homeschooling the early grades doesn't take much time, so, if it works for your schedule, your husband could spearhead weekend learning, if he's home then, and handle the bulk of homeschooling, and as the kids get older, they could work with dad in the evenings.

For me, I'd home school over private school, mostly because of the financial piece, and because, homeschooling k-3 especially doesn't take much time daily.

But, if you don't like it and can swing the tuition, and if your husband isn't on board with being the one homeschooling, or that doesn't fit with your family life, then private school is a great option. Perhaps your public schools will turn around in a few years, and the kids can then go there.

I guess what would help me make the decision best where it me, would be why your husband wants to home school?

Have you thought about unit studies? Or learning in blocks, so that your starting/not finishing issue can be used as a strength?

Apply to the charter schools. If you change your mind you don't have to enroll but you can't get in if you don't apply in kindergarten in many places. If they don't lottery in you can figure something else out.

I strongly considered homeschooling and started acting like I was. Then I applied to the charters I liked when dd was old enough for kindergarten. She got in to my favorite that sound like your #3 choice. So far it is working out well. If for some reason if it doesn't in the future I can always pull them and homeschool but vise versa was not an option.

I liked aspects of homeschooling and I now after school but I was like you and was not very organized and would start something and it would end up not working so I would try something else. I like being involved but it is a little stressful for it to be all on me.

Your children are very close in age to my own, and I understand how hard it can be to homeschool the eldest when you constantly have the littler ones hanging off you -- we have trouble getting things finished as well.

What about putting your child in private/charter school now and reevaluating the homeschooling option in a year? It's not an all-or-nothing kind of a thing, yk? Perhaps waiting until your younger kids grow a little will make it much easier to homeschool later?

Thanks ladies for all the input. DH and I are much more on the same page about this today. When I brought it up last night to him I think it took him so off guard that he didn't respond well. We were able to talk more tonight and have more of a game plan. I have a couple wise women at our church who have done a variety of different types of schooling that I'm going to meet with and talk things over with. I'm also going to do more intensive homeschool starting with K next year for our oldest so that I can get more of a feel for what the reality of homeschooling might look/feel like. If it goes well we will keep going, if it doesn't we will go with the private school.

Something else to keep in mind is that by the time you have 3 kids in upper grades, will you be working? We're considering private for our kids, and cost is definitely the restricting factor, but I'm hoping that when I'm working, we can make it happen.

I figured I would update that we decided to go with the private school option. I toured the school this week and was very impressed with just about everything (except the uniform choices). I think my kids will be happy there and will get an awesome education. I feel a weight off my shoulders thinking about not having to be their sole educator too.